Arcadia residents outraged by tree-service worker

William Pyle and Lu Ann Chico, two longtime Ridge Street residents, remain stunned as to why an out-of-state tree-service worker cut numerous limbs from trees on their property Monday.

BY DAVID EXUMThe Dispatch

ARCADIA | William Powell and Lu Ann Chico, two longtime Ridge Street residents, remain stunned as to why an out-of-state tree-service worker cut numerous limbs from trees on their property Monday.In the aftermath of the ice storm in March, natural disaster cleanup crews have been contracted by the state to cut limbs off damaged trees in Davidson and surrounding counties affected by the storm. But to Powell and Chico, their trees weren't damaged. Both also believe their rights as citizens have been violated."What gets me is we, as a citizen of the United States, have no voice," Powell said. "That's why I called (The Dispatch). To come in here and just cut my good, healthy tree doesn't make any sense. You cut my tree, it's just like shooting my dog. But I tell you what, friend, in the South, when you shoot a man's dog or mess with his property, you're going to get him pissed off."Besides the damage to their trees, both Powell and Chico said the tree worker used profanity and spoke to them in a belligerent manner.According to a report from the Davidson County Sheriff's Office, Jeremy Barnes, an employee with T.F.R. Enterprises of Leander, Texas, is the individual identified as the man who cut the limbs off the trees. No charges were filed, and DCSO deputies allowed the tree worker to proceed.Powell and Chico said Barnes told them he had instructions to clear any hanging limbs in the right of way of Ridge Street. The pair said if Barnes hadn't been belligerent and allowed them to show which limbs needed to be cut, they wouldn't have had an issue.The 81-year-old Powell said Barnes never identified himself as an employee from the tree service company, and instead said he was with the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Barnes' trucks also had no identifiable markings."He doesn't work for FEMA, and he has nothing to do with FEMA," Powell said. "He made me so mad. I think he thought he could scare me by telling me he works for the government. Well, I ain't scared."T.F.R. Enterprises, according to its website, specializes in debris removal from natural or man-made disasters. The company's website also includes links to FEMA.Barnes also told Powell he "worked for the government and can do any (expletive) thing he wants to."Chico also overheard Barnes speaking to Powell in that manner."I stirred the pot first, because I asked some questions," Chico said. After what Chico considers a "botched" job Barnes did to the tree on her property, the worker then took his chain saw to Powell's beloved willow oak tree. "Look what he has done to my tree," said Powell as he showed the tree he planted in 1967. "He whacked it all to hell. He ruined it, and there's not a thing I can do about it. There wasn't a damaged limb on it."Chico also said the crew didn't clean up the debris and left brush scattered across her lawn and Powell's."I'm very upset because he had no reason to touch my tree at all. There was nothing damaged. There was nothing cracked. There was nothing broken, and there was nothing dead," Chico said. She and her husband have lived on Ridge Street since 1978. Chico added that she did have a telephone conversation with Richard Bussey, disaster response director at T.F.R. Enterprises. Bussey called Chico after she had emailed him photos of the damaged trees and her written statement."(Bussey) was trying to get my side of the story and wanted to know what happened," Chico said. Chico also said Bussey only apologized "if the gentleman spoke to you that way, I sincerely apologize. I would like the opportunity to talk to that crew and find out what happened and if that gentleman spoke to you that way. If he did speak to you that way, we are truly sorry, and he is not supposed to speak to people that way."Bussey also confirmed Barnes does not work for FEMA. He did not return calls from The Dispatch for comment.Chico also spoke to Mark Crook, maintenance engineer with the state Department of Transportation. Crook told Chico he has received several complaints from other residents in Davidson County in reference to T.F.R. Enterprises since the work began earlier this month. In explaining how T.F.R. Enterprises was hired, Crook told Chico since the county was declared a disaster area after the March ice storm, DOT asked for bids from companies similar to T.F.R. and is required by state law to accept the lowest bidder. Crook further explained the work done by T.F.R. is monitored by SEPI Engineering of Raleigh. Monitors from SEPI inspected the area Wednesday and told Pyle and Chico the work Barnes did was wrong. The DOT also contracted SEPI. "The (monitor) went through all that brush and said she couldn't find a damaged or broken limb," Powell said.Crook confirmed his conversations with Chico and could not comment further on the incident since he wasn't present. He also explained the contractors like T.F.R. are now in the process of removing any damaged limbs hanging over the right of way of a street, and the work is expected to finish at the end of May."Because DOT doesn't have the resources to do the cleanup in a timely manner, we put the work out to contract," Crook said. "These crews are not the best at customer service. These contractors are here to make a buck, and they're going to cut every tree they can."Although Sheriff David Grice wasn't aware of this particular incident, he did say his deputies have handled these type of personal property issues before."No matter what the circumstances, I urge all residents to call 911," Grice said. "Even if it's not an emergency, we're here to help."Grice added that he was thankful there were no injuries.David Exum can be reached at 249-3981, ext. 227, or at dave.exum@the-dispatch.com. Follow David on Twitter: @LexDisptachExum

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